From Tommy John To Big 10 Commitment For Storey

BRIGHTON - Easton Storey can be excused for having “no idea” of what he plans to major in at college.

After all, it has been a long year for the Brighton senior, who had Tommy John Surgery nearly 14 months ago.

“It was mentally challenging at first,” the 29th-rated 2023 in Michigan explained. “The hardest part was the high school season and fall season watching teammates play and you can’t. That was the hardest thing.”

There was also the loss of interest from college coaches.

“I had a handful of offers before surgery but they all got pulled once they heard I was hurt,” Storey said.

It was far from easy.

“I went from throwing 90-91 to a couple of weeks later I could barely move my arm,” Storey reflected. “After that, PT was a super long time. The first couple months after surgery I was working to get a full range of motion back which was a challenge. In December I started throwing. There were four to five months of throwing 10 feet away to being 100 percent in the bullpen.” 

But the difficult times have come to an end with a commitment to Purdue.

“When I was 100 percent I talked with 45 to 50 schools that were all interested and wanted to see me throw,” the 6-0 205-pound left-hander related. “I came back throwing in 11 months which was quicker than most. I struggled some, but figured it out the last tournament and picked up a handful of offers.”

While Western Kentucky, Toledo, Miami and Michigan State all offered since Storey returned from surgery, it was Purdue that stood out to the 17-year-old.

“The first time they saw me was a video of me throwing my first bullpen after I was 100 percent,” the third-rated senior southpaw in Michigan noted. “That’s when they were first interested in me. Then they saw me throw in two or three tournaments. After that I went to a camp and that sealed the deal.”

The fact that his grandfather played football at Purdue was just one of the factors that swayed Storey to the Big 10 school in Indiana.

“One of the things I liked about Purdue was that a lot of schools saw me throw badly and disappeared,” Storey explained. “But (assistant) coach (Chris) Marx understood this was a long injury. They watched me throw well and they watched me when I threw badly. They trust in me, which is a big thing.”

After all, Storey is a southpaw with a lot of promise.

“Obviously, they like that I’m a left-handed pitcher which is a big thing,” Storey noted. “They like my curve which has a lot of movement. They see the potential of me growing, getting stronger, bigger and getting better.”

Storey believes he can make a big impact in the program at West Lafayette.

“The thing I’ll bring is a competitor,” Storey said. “I enjoy pushing myself and pushing others. I’m a good teammate and I want to win.”

To have that opportunity at Purdue brings a sense of relief.

“The recruiting process the past two or three years has been pretty stressful,” Storey admitted. “I wasn’t a fan to be honest. I did a lot of throwing at tournaments and I went to two or three PBRs which helped a lot before I was hurt. But once I was hurt, after that everyone kind of left.”

Throwing 40-pitch limits in summer tournaments brought renewed interest in the lefty.

“I ended up finding a school that I really like,” Storey said. “Now I’m giving my arm time to rest. I’m shut down for the fall and preparing for the high school season.”

It comes with a feeling of excitement after a commitment to Purdue.

“That took a lot off my shoulders,” pointed out Storey, a 3.46 student who joked he planned on a major in “baseball” at the Big 10 school. “It felt good to not have to throw and think if I throw badly they’re going to leave or that maybe I’ll get hurt again. It feels good to find somebody that trusts me and I trust them.

“I’m really looking forward to playing in the Big 10,” Storey added. “With USC and UCLA joining the conference, there will be a lot of travel which I look forward to. Ultimately, I want to bring a Big 10 championship back to Purdue.”